Breaking Ground
by b'shert
Summary: Prequel to IUW that follows A Matter of Intuition. A mundane task leads Stef to a bit of a surprising discovery about the newly-turned thirteen-year-old in their home. The ensuing interaction ends up laying the groundwork for trust and rapport between them.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Lena puttered around the kitchen cleaning up from breakfast. It was a Tuesday but there was a district-wide instructional day for all teaching staff and school wasn't in session. Getting through the day with all five children home was no easy feat; everyone was old enough to entertain themselves but still needed their attention. Given that they had limited experience caring for all on their own, Stef had booked the day off as well. Lena had insisted she would be fine, but was grateful to have her wife around. She was looking forward to the afternoon when they planned on putting a movie on so the kids could bond over mindless entertainment, and she and Stef could catch a breather. Needless to say, it felt much later than it actually was.

Looking over the island at Callie's plate, she estimated half of the portion had been eaten. Despite a large breakfast, she had still offered a mid-morning snack at the usual time. Their family doctor had advised keeping Callie and Jude on a predictable routine when it came to meals and snacks. This was not only to ensure they'd reach a normal weight, but to introduce a balanced diety and to shape healthy attitudes around food. A multivitamin and a couple other supplements had also been recommended to ensure nutritional needs were being met. Their chart review and physical exams had revealed missed immunizations and confirmed their worst suspicion: that the siblings weren't just underweight, but had been malnourished for some time.

The findings explained a lot. Callie often stopped her brother from asking for seconds, instead sharing her portion with him. She had been physically sick over breakfast, apparently not used to eating the first meal altogether. And last week, Stef had found a collection of spoiled food under Jude's bed and in his backpack. School days were often worrisome because she and Stef had no way of knowing if lunch and snacks were being consumed unless they checked, and time at home was equally stressful because it was dominated by serving food on schedule and monitoring intake. They had began dividing portions into halves or quarters when possible as a subtle way to keep track of how much was being eaten.

"Is the sandwich alright?" Lena asked.

Callie stared at her new foster mother. That the woman was asking if something she had made was alright was crazy to her. Not only could Lena cook but she baked, even making her own bread. Everything tasted a bajillion times better than she was used to. This was store bread but was wonderful too. "It's so good. Thanks."

Losing a cucumber slice she picked it up and licked the fluffy cream cheese off. This was a new combination. "What's the tiny green things?" she said, noticing flecks of it on the white.

"Dill." Recognizing confusion when the girl's brow knitted, Lena clarified it was the herb she was referring to, not pickle. Callie didn't seem picky but she redirected before curiosity morphed into unwillingness to try new things, anyway—a force of habit. "Do you like this one with cucumber or the peanut butter banana one better?" she asked, referring to their afterschool snack yesterday.

"Uhm, both," Callie said after some consideration. This one was crunchy and creamy; the other combo was sweet and salty and melt-in-your-mouth buttery. "PB is good but herb is no big dill," she said shyly, finding the courage to joke. That was always easier with Lena. She was softer, kinder. Not a threat. Not like her coppy ass wife.

Lena smiled, encouraged by the sense of humour. Given everything that had taken place in the three weeks Callie and Jude had come into their lives, it was all she could ask for. As with most emergency arrangements, things had been fairly chaotic. Bill had already been by twice to review goals and supports for each child to ensure success with the placement. This encompassed everything from medical and dental appointments to school enrollment, as well as weekly group therapy and parole meetings at the Juvenile Justice office for Callie. Eventually, she and Stef hoped to enroll her in individual sessions with a private practive rather than a state-funded program so they would have more control over scheduling. However, that would be a goal for when they got to know her better.

It was a lot, but relying on their family calendar as a command center to keep them organized kept stress levels manageable. Lena didn't know how they'd survive otherwise because it _really_ was a _lot_.

That being said, they were moving forward and that was all that mattered. The kids were fed, clothed, and safe. The bedrooms were sorted, meaning they no longer had to go up and down the stairs multiple times per night since they were all on the same floor. That didn't mean they weren't up, though. Bedwetting and nightmares meant at least one interruption per night. School was school. After a short graduated entry, they were now going full time with Jude in the primary block and Callie at the main school. Their needs around school couldn't be more different. Jude was floundering academically, while his sister excelled. He had trouble focusing, while she had trouble attending. She and Stef were anxiously waiting to see how Callie would fare being in the classroom on a consistent basis.

Despite the progress so far, Lena found herself wondering when it would all fall apart. The siblings preferred to keep to themselves, especially when the rest of the kids were around. They were quiet, only speaking when spoken to, and were polite. Often they were the first to jump to action when given directions, though follow through could be suspect. Still uncertain about their new environment, Callie and Jude were trying to be easygoing and unobtrusive until they were sure there was nothing to be afraid of. It was all about self-preservation.

The twins had done the same when they had first come into their home. The facade had dropped abruptly a month later with a spectacular display of misbehaviour by both. It was then that she and Stef were able to start getting to know the real Jesus and Mariana. There were signs that a similar storm was edging with Callie and Jude: a stiffening in their shoulders when issued a directive they didn't agree with, but hurried to anyway. Deflecting when questioned on a matter they preferred not to elaborate on.

Soon, Lena expected, passivity would turn to overt pushback. And she looked forward to it. As hard as it would be, conflict indicated the beginnings of security: that the kids felt safe enough to be themselves and to express their own opinions.

"How are those exponents coming along?" she asked. Progress appeared to have stalled on the math worksheet Callie had in front of her.

"Going good," Callie replied politely.

Lena dried her hands, refraining from asking the girl if she wanted to reconsider that answer. "Alright. Let me know when you're ready to have me take a look."

"Okay." Callie stared at the page she was on before closing her eyes. To be honest, she could barely think right now. She needed a smoke and a real coffee, neither of which were allowed at this house. The cop had looked at her like she'd sprouted an extra head when she saw her sipping her morning brew before taking it away. Without either of the things she relied on to calm her down, having to be _here_ was hard. The forced abstinence really screwed up her concentration: her mind would run in overdrive nonstop and by the time evening rolled around, she was so drained from the energy buzzing she could barely keep her eyes open. School days she managed fine, taking advantage of breaks to smoke: one or two most days to keep her stash steady.

It would only be a matter of time before she knew she'd get caught again. Stef had already busted her once, and she had a feeling the cop was onto the fact that she hadn't stopped despite promising she would. She chewed gum or used mouthwash whenever possible to cover up the smell. But still, these women ran a tight ship.

"Had you started exponents at your other school?" Lena asked, worried when the girl shook her head. She made a mental note to check the homework. Their foster daughter was in the same grade as Brandon, and while they didn't have all the same teachers, the course content was similar. That she was taking awhile to get through the assignment was concerning. Perhaps Callie was having difficulty with the learning curve at a charter school.

"We did...but not like this," Callie admitted. In her current math class, everything was problem-solving. Her other class had been more straightforward and there had been much less homework.

"Is the material more difficult than you're used to?" Lena clarified. She felt for her. On top of yet another adjustment to a another school, their living situation had been in flux. Callie's attendance records had been extremely spotty, so there had been little opportunity to build upon concepts.

"Some, maybe. Yeah." The math homework was definitely a different animal. "There's more reading, in the problems," Callie tried to explain. She didn't have an issue owning it. At the end of the day, grades were just grades. She didn't let them bother her. But school was a shelter; she often missed a lot of classes, but whenever she went it was a nice distraction from whatever crazy place they were at.

Things would have to change here, though. Lena was the Vice Principal and cared a lot about grades and getting to class on time. Stef too. She would be okay but things were harder for Jude. He was more of a C student, even with help.

"Would having an extra free period help, or is the one enough?"

"Uhm, it's enough. Another would be okay, though," Callie said, forcing a neutral reply. In actuality, the idea had her wanting to jump up and down because she'd been blowing off her free block. Three times a week, it was scheduled as her last class and all she had to do was report she had no homework in order to be dismissed from sitting at a desk. The surrounding area was beautiful—even more so when it wasn't overrun with crowds. So far, she had explored the docks, sea wall, and a large park on the opposite side of the beach. There was a gas station a couple blocks away, too, where she bought candy, coffee, and cigarettes. Unfortunately, these adventures had contributed to a backlog of homework and she'd barely made a dent in it over the weekend. Still, Callie cherished the only chance she got at some peace and quiet.

Plus, it had meant the opportunity to feel like she really belonged. She'd met Wyatt and whoever else skipped at that time. Most were a couple grades ahead but she felt a sense of camaraderie and protection from them. But while she enjoyed hanging out with her new friends and the odd smoke and beer she could bum off them, she also didn't want to get too attached. Repeated moves had burned her too many times. Many days, she went straight to the house. The expectation was for her and Jude to walk together with the rest of the kids if Lena couldn't drive them, so she would tell them she was taking a different route back. No one had ratted her out so far. Alone in the house, she watched TV, read, or napped in the yard. Lena was none the wiser. With five hundred students at the school Callie doubted her foster mother had any time to review all the attendance reports. She made sure the automated message from school about her missing 'one or more classes' was wiped before the women got home.

Having a cop and a vice principal as foster mothers was a total game changer. They weren't often left unsupervised and had a ton of rules to follow, needing to ask before going anywhere and doing things on a schedule. Nearly everything was done together, which Callie wasn't used to either.

"Alright. Let me know if you need a hand or when you're ready to check it off in your planner," Lena reminded. One thing she and Stef had learned about Callie was that she was extremely disorganized. School notices found semi-permanent refuge in her bag, and handouts rarely made it onto the rings in her binder. Ensuring Callie got things filed under the correct sections and written into her agenda helped cut down on misplaced assignments.

"Okay," Callie said compliantly, refraining from grumbling like she really wanted to.

Even homework became her foster moms' business. Every day, they had to empty their backpacks at the table and begin on homework. In between dinner prep, the women checked worksheets for completion and signed forms needing review by a parent. Due dates had to be entered into their planners. As the oldest two, she and Brandon had the most independence but were expected to have a plan to get everything done on time.

Lena smiled at her wife as she came through the kitchen.

"Hey babe—" Stef began, intending to speak to Lena alone before she caught sight of Callie's plate. "_Mmmm_! That looks **_good_**!" Making a detour to the table, she grabbed the sandwich and stole a bite. "What?" she said in response to Lena's disapproval. "We're sharing."

Normally stoic eyes widened in surprise as Callie looked between them, gauging if everything was alright. "It has dill," Callie said shyly once she realized it was safe with her.

"Ah! Well. That ain't a big dill," Stef deadpanned, continuing to talk with her mouth full. She winked at her new kid, who was now grinning.

Lena feigned annoyance at her wife's way of engaging with Callie. Those two would be teaming up on her with terrible puns before she knew it. Their foster daughter was a tough nut to crack, but it would only be a matter of time before her full personality emerged. Callie had already begun doing so in small steps, offering them glimpses of who she was. "More coffee?" she asked Stef.

"Ahh...you know me well, woman…" The cop held out her mug as it was filled. Setting it down on the counter, she hugged Lena from behind and rested her head on her shoulder. They were tired—_so_ tired that they'd emptied an entire twelve-cup pot before ten. The day had started with a five AM wake up to help Jude get changed into new pyjamas and he hadn't gone back to sleep after.

_Five kids. Had they lost their damn minds_? Her inner voice sounded oddly like her mother's.

"Are you still hoping to get up on the roof today?" Lena questioned.

A storm was predicted for later in the week, and they needed to ensure the gutters and downspouts were clear of debris so they wouldn't end up with standing water or a leak. They didn't often get poor weather, but a couple times a year there would be a good downpour that reminded them to deal with the exterior of their home.

Stef let out an exaggerated sigh. It wasn't often that she booked a day off when the kids didn't have school and she was grateful to be home with the whole family. Especially now that their children were getting older and it felt more like she was fighting for their time. So technically she wasn't complaining. But as usual, she'd overwhelmed herself with tasks. "Depends on if you'll put on another pot," she negotiated. The smirk was wiped off her face when her request was denied. "What do you mean, _no_?"

"That was the last of the beans," Lena said regretfully. She was as much a coffee fiend as her wife was.

"I can go to the store," Stef offered. That idea, too, was shut down.

Lena quirked her head towards their newest teenager. Literally, their newest: Callie had been twelve when she arrived and turned thirteen less than a week later. "Setting a good example...?"

"I don't know what Callie's coffee habits have to do with mine," Stef pouted. "I'm the adult," she continued to whine. Her effort at being ridiculous was paying off.

Unsure as to what was going on, Callie glanced at Lena. The cop wasn't acting like an adult at all.

Overjoyed that their foster child was looking to her for guidance, Lena decided to play along. "Then you're old enough to know you've hit your limit today," she told her wife.

Stef frowned. "Limits? This body doesn't have limits!" Preoccupied with flexing her muscles to show off, she missed the dish towel being thrown in her direction.

"Hmm. Seems limits aren't the only thing that body doesn't have," Lena quipped as the cloth hit Stef in the face.

Callie flashed a mischievous grin. "No reflexes, either," she piped up, pleased to get her own dig in. Unable to help herself, she began giggling and had to clamp a hand over her mouth.

Despite pretending to be hurt, Stef gave her wife a knowing look. It was a small step forward, but progress nonetheless.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author Note: **Thank you for reading and for your support! I have missed being able to write and posting this is my attempt to slowly get back into a rhythm...whatever that looks like. Hope to have another chapter up before Christmas but in the event I renege on that, hope you all have a lovely time with the ones who mean the most to you. ~b

Chapter 2

"**_Boys_**!" Stef hollered. "I am not going to tell you again. Turn it off!" Jesus and Brandon had blown past their time limit on the Xbox while she had been occupied, and to say she was disappointed was an understatement. "This is your last chance to before you lose your game for tomorrow," she warned, annoyed from constantly having to negotiate screen time. Frankly, it was undeserved; good listening was expected from the get go, not after several reminders.

She hoped an extra few seconds would encourage them to oblige as she pulled her sweatshirt over her head, though her faith was waning. Her sons, who had initially been eager to give her a hand with the ladder so she could look at the roof, had been replaced by two screen zombies. Frustration hit a max as they chorused 'just one more minute' while continuing to play. Finally she stood in front of the TV. "Pause it. _Now_. Before I pull the plug," she threatened, having lost all patience. They knew she would too; she had done it before.

"No, Mommy! Please!" Jesus begged, palms clasped together as his brother scrambled to save. If the game wasn't shut off properly then they'd lose all their progress; he and B had just figured out how to make it through a really hard world and were getting somewhere when Mom showed up.

Stef shook her head in exasperation over their indignant protests. It was the same argument every single time. "Thank you for turning it off but had you done it when I first asked you wouldn't have lost your gaming privileges for tomorrow."

"You can't! You don't understand! We were at like a critical period!" Jesus cried.

"Then you can pick it up where you've left off in two days," she said with finality. "You and B both asked me to wait so you could have a turn going up on the ladder so I did." Then they'd begged to play Paper Mario, promising to shut it off after thirty minutes. Having other chores she needed to tackle, she had relented. In hindsight, it'd been the wrong thing to do. "What I dislike more than disrespecting the privileges Mama and I allow is not honouring our promises to each other." She paused, intending to let that message settle, which her eldest mistook as an opportunity to provide explanations for their behaviour.

_The disc hadn't worked at the beginning._

_The game hadn't been properly saved last time so they didn't get to play anything new._

Stef held up a finger to stop him. "That's quite enough." She gestured to their treasured console. "I can put it away for longer since it sounds like it was giving you both trouble," she warned, giving each an expectant look. Her rascals needed a firm reminder that they needed to do as they were told. "Next time, you turn it off when you're supposed to. Understood?"

Her sons nodded emphatically. "Yes Mom! We're sorry! Next time we'll listen," Jesus said apologetically.

Stef hid a smile. "Thank you, Zeus. Are you ready to come outside?" She sighed at their unmotivated expressions. Perhaps they had liked the idea of climbing a ladder more than actually going through with it.

Picking up on the tension, Jude peered out from behind Jesus. He'd been sitting there so quietly that she hadn't noticed him at all.

"I can help!" the youngest declared. Then Jesus and Brandon wouldn't have to, and Stef wouldn't be angry.

Stef beamed at how proud of himself Jude was for coming up with a solution, before realizing he was probably anxious. His demeanour was indicative of the way young children often tried to distract fighting parents to make it go away.

"Thank you, Bud, but I think this is going to have to be a job for the over tens," she said, a gentle way of saying he was too young. Plus, she needed someone to spot her and stabilize the ladder for her. Jude had not yet hit his growth spurt and was still so small. But offers to help were hard to come by and if he was willing, she would encourage that. "I am sure we can find something you can help with, though."

"Okay!" he replied cheerfully. His relief tugged at her heart. She felt terrible that the interaction with her kids had made him uncomfortable and found herself wondering, yet again, what he had experienced in his past that made him worry. Telling off the kids was a common occurrence and no one hardly ever batted an eye in their home.

"Whatcha doing?" Jude questioned as curiosity took over.

"I gotta go grab the ladder from out back so I can check the roof and siding to make sure we're all ready for our storm. Fun stuff," Stef said, winking at him. "You sure you want to come out? Isn't it your turn to play?" she said. She wanted to give him the option to stay in if he wanted.

"Aw, Mom! **_Nooo_**!" the older boys complained. Jude didn't know how and would probably make them lose all their hard work. And that wasn't fair since he hadn't gotten them to where they were in the game.

Stef levelled both of them with a stern gaze. They were really grating on her everloving last nerve.

Sensing things were strained again and wanting to fix it, Jude jumped to his feet. He had an idea. "Callie can help! She's over ten and she's not busy!"

"Just hold on a sec, bud—" the cop began as Jude bolted past her in search of his sister. She glared at a sheepish Jesus and Brandon as the eight-year-old's voice carried from the kitchen. "_Callie! _**_CALLIE_**_! Stef needs _**_help_**_! She has to go on the _**_roof_**!"

Brandon winced. Moms had told them to be careful around Jude because he would want to do whatever they did. "Sorry, Mom," he said unprompted, nudging Zeus to follow suit.

"Thank you," Stef said. She genuinely appreciated their apologies. Attention now moving onto Jude and Callie, she let the boys off the hook. "It's okay. Now get. If I come back and find you playing on this Xbox so help me it will be donated along with all your games," she threatened once more for good measure.

"And...play with Jude, okay?" she reminded them quietly, wanting for the youngest to be included. Regardless of whether adoption was the goal, it was important for new relationships to be nurtured.

After assuring her they would, Stef went to catch up with her new charges. She had to save Callie from being volunteered for a task she likely wouldn't be keen to undertake, but—unlike her own kids—would be too polite to decline.

Following the sound of Jude's pestering, Stef hurried to the kitchen. She had her own reasons for not requesting Callie's help and was afraid it might appear like she was trying to exclude her. But the last thing she wanted to do was to crowd her when their foster daughter didn't seem completely comfortable around them. Whenever possible, the teen always kept some physical separation between them. Sometimes, she would stand behind the other children; other times, it was a literal step back when she or Lena unintentionally got too close. Conversations were sparse and eye contact even more so. That Callie had taken a jab at her earlier by teaming up with Lena was a big step.

There were other ways their foster daughter kept her head down as well, perhaps to avoid inconveniencing them. When she and Jude still slept downstairs, Callie would check on him through the night. She'd clean up if there was an accident, roll up his bed-in-a-bag, and have him up and ready for school—extra early. After overhearing her tell her brother off for being too boisterous, they'd talked to her about her role, which wasn't to parent but rather to be their eyes and ears so _they_ could. It had not been any easy discussion, and one they expected would require repetition before change began to take place.

With that in mind, she and Lena wanted to give her the space to unwind and find her footing. Because the pressure Callie put on herself was exhausting—hell, they found it tiring even thinking about it—and she probably was more hypervigilant than they were aware of. So if it could be helped they wouldn't pile more onto her, especially knowing she didn't feel safe with them. That trust piece was missing but they were hopeful that they could earn it by taking it slow and meeting Callie where she was at.

What would really help was for Callie to slip up and make a mistake. She _needed _to screw up so she could learn she was in a place where no one would hold it against her. That she was allowed to be a kid and didn't have to be perfect all the time. That step needed to happen before she could to let them in.

In turn, that would enable them to gain insight into Callie's inner voice—how she responded to and interpreted setbacks. It would determine which parts of the narrative needed rewriting. Even if their application to adopt was denied, planting seeds to challenge how Callie viewed herself and the world around her was worth it. Those would stay with Callie as she navigated the remainder of her childhood in the system, or with another family. It was one way to ensure their influence beyond this placement.

The process would likely take months, but Stef had faith it would take place. It had with Jesus and Mariana. Not overnight, but gradually that door had opened. Slammed shut and cracked open many times over, so iterative it was draining and had them wondering if they'd get through it. But they had, and so she trusted they would with Callie.

They just needed a starting point.

Little did Stef know, but that moment would be upon them sooner than anticipated.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author Note**: Hope you're all keeping healthy through the COVID-19 pandemic. Life has been full on and about to get busier (I'm expecting again next month); until then, I'm taking advantage of the lull between being off from work, the kids being back to their routines outside of the house, and the baby coming to do a bit of writing.

Chapter 3

Stef found them at the kitchen table, Callie wearing an expression of bemusement and wariness over what her brother was telling her. Stef gave a reassuring smile as the siblings' attention immediately shifted towards her. Time with the Jacob kids was precious; rarely did she have both of them to herself. The only opportunity she could count on was at bedtime but most nights, they'd drifted off by the time she went to tuck them in. She needed to begin her rounds earlier so they could have each others company.

Pride filled her at catching sight of how the kids were dressed. New, clean clothes that fit properly had made a significant impact on how they seemed to carry themselves with more confidence. It was a stark contrast to when they'd arrived, with an insufficient wardrobe of poorly fitting and heavily worn articles. Purchasing new clothes was one way she and Lena could communicate to Callie and Jude that they (and how they felt) mattered.

Her own ear now buzzing with Jude's hounding, Stef went to the fridge for cheese sticks. Cheese sticks had saved many a day in their house.

"Alright, young man! Last I checked, Callie was doing homework which is why I asked the boys. And you know what, they went upstairs to find something else to do. Why don't you go see what they're up to?" Leaning over his chair, she handed him the snacks to sweeten the deal.

Jude's eyes went wide at what he was being given. His hand shot out and retracted just as quick as he looked to his sister for her approval before accepting. "Thank you," he said when Callie prompted him for manners as he slid down from his chair.

"You're very welcome," Stef replied. She wanted to wrap him up a hug when he stood there awkwardly, as if not knowing what to do. But the last time she had tried, he'd shrank away from her, uncomfortable with the physical contact. "High five?"

A lip retracted between teeth, considering. Then, smiling eyes as Jude took her up on the offer with gusto.

"All right! Atta boy! Okay. Off you go," she encouraged, sending him on his way. "Lunch at noon." A second reminder would come when Jesus and Brandon came back down to eat.

"Okay!" he responded cheerfully.

Stef watched him walk away, amused by the jaunt in his step. He was trying not to run but excitement was hampering his efforts. As soon as his foot hit the first step, he broke into a run.

"Hey sweetheart," she whispered to Callie who was watching her intently. The girl was chewing the eraser end of her pencil. "It's okay. It's okay for your brother to forget his manners. He's eight." Then, deciding to change the subject. "You make out alright with your assignment?"

Callie nodded, the writing instrument still firmly lodged between teeth.

"Yeah? That's great," Stef praised. Her foster daughter was totally gauging her reaction, trying to figure out if she was being truthful. Their interactions were still unnatural, with her not knowing what Callie needed. This time though, she knew not to pressure with another question. It seemed like Callie had something on her mind. Eventually, her voice came through.

"Thanks for giving Jude those pull apart cheeses. He loves those."

Stef chuckled softly. With five kids, snacking was ultimately a full day sport; someone, somewhere, was always eating something. "I know he does. I'm sorry I didn't ask if you wanted one. Saw that you were still working away on yours," she said, gesturing at the half eaten sandwich. "I can get you one if you want, though." As expected, the offer was politely declined.

Silence grew between them as she contemplated if her words would come across as abrasive. "Cal…" she began, waiting for attention before continuing. "You don't have to thank us for feeding you and Jude. What I mean is, we're—I mean, Lena and I—are happy to. It's our _job_ to make sure you and Jude have everything you need to be happy and settled and healthy while you're here. And remember, you don't need our permission to help yourself to the kitchen." She paused. What she really wanted to clarify was that Jude didn't need his sister's permission to accept anything from them, but that would be a discussion for another day. "It doesn't put us out of our way or anything. Not at all."

Needing a distraction, Callie doodled on the corner of her agenda page. She didn't like being put on the spot especially when she was trying to absorb what her foster mother was saying. In some homes they'd been at, the fridge would be locked so the idea they could take what they wanted was new.

Stef, guessing she'd probably overwhelmed Callie, reverted to a safer topic. "Done everything you need to for the week?"

The girl nodded. "Just waiting for Lena to come check."

"Where is she, anyway—upstairs?" Stef asked, realizing she hadn't seen her wife in a while.

"Yeah. She said just a sec...but I dunno where she is now."

"Oh, I can give it a once over," Stef offered. She wanted Callie to have the rest of the day to unwind rather than be waiting around. Given that their foster child was in the same grade as their eldest, she was puzzled that Callie had significantly more homework; the two did have different teachers for several classes however. What was important was that Callie was diligent with her work so far.

They fell into a routine as she reviewed the homework. A few times she redirected Callie's attention to missing areas but overall, it was a job well done. Once an assignment was deemed finished, Stef had her cross off the corresponding item in her agenda and made sure Callie put it under the correct tab in her binder.

"Ah ah ah. Don't just shove it _in_," she admonished when she saw Callie wedge a worksheet in without getting it onto the rings. The carelessness had contributed to a misplaced paper last week. Stef gave her a wink as it was remedied and closed the binder, glad to be done. "There. Into your bag this goes," she said, tapping the cover. "Hey, look. It would've been okay for you to have gone upstairs to find Lena. You're allowed." Their house rules were the same for everyone. No bedrooms were locked, including theirs. As long as they were respectful of each other's privacy and belongings, they were free to wander.

"Mm. She looked kinda busy," the girl told her shyly, bringing another smile to her face. She was certain Callie was an old soul; extremely perceptive and wise beyond her years.

"My guess is that Lena got a bit distracted. That happens sometimes. But you can always come grab us."

"'kay." Finishing up, Callie piled her stuff neatly together. "Thank you, Stef."

"You're very welcome."

Callie got quiet again before she got brave enough to ask. "So why're you going up with a ladder?" She wasn't just attempting to make small talk; she was genuinely curious...and worried_._

"Just to check the pipes to make sure all systems are go with the storm coming in."

"Like you mean, the ones under the window?"

"That's right. Those run horizontal so are more likely to get clogged." While puzzled that Callie was showing interest in this topic of all things, Stef was grateful for conversation.

"I can give you a hand," Callie volunteered.

Stef shook her head. "No. It's okay. Jesus and B were supposed to help and I'll go get them in a bit." She didn't feel right putting Callie to work.

"I want to, really." Under the table, Callie crossed her fingers that she'd be allowed to help. The thing was, she was panicking. Ever since the doctor's, Stef and Lena had been making her take a bunch of pills every day after dinner. They tasted awful and some were too big to swallow—the calcium was literally a horse pill and hurt going down. So after accepting them on the way upstairs with a glass of water, she'd open the window to drop the tablets out before Mariana came in. Each would make a satisfying plink as they hit the flashing underneath.

Stef sighed inwardly at the girl's insistence. She didn't have the heart to refuse. "I...are you sure there's nothing else you'd rather be doing?" she said, giving her an out. "It's okay if you do, you've been stuck here all morning."

Callie swallowed. She wasn't thrilled about being alone with Stef, but she couldn't see another solution to preventing the cop from discovering what she'd done. She considered excusing herself to see if she could remove the evidence by crawling out the bedroom window, but wasn't confident she could. Not with Lena on the same floor. "Yeah. I'm sure."

Pushing aside her discomfort, Stef relented. This would give them a chance to hang out. "You know what? I'd really appreciate that."

Shocked that her foster mom had budged, Callie took a deep breath and followed her out the back door. She tried her best to hide her nervousness as they got the ladder out from the garage and carried it to the back of the house. As Stef checked it over for any loose joints she prayed she wouldn't get in too much trouble.

"Alright. Ready to boogie?" Stef asked, giving their set up a good jostle.

Snapped out of her thoughts, panic surged at seeing the cop already had one foot on the ladder. "**_Wait_**!" she said frantically, face flushing at the confused look Stef was giving her.

"Everything okay?"

The girl dug feet into the dirt. "I, uhm, was just gonna say I can do that." That way, she could report on what she saw up there, minus the evidence of the pills.

Stef paused, detecting the sudden fear though unclear of the reasons why. "Well, Cal...I know you can but I'm not comfortable sending you up there. Plus, it'll be faster for me to take a peek. Then we can get on with our day."

"Okay, but—" Callie tried disputing, though she wasn't sure where she was going with that. She was totally screwed; the bedroom window was right above them. There was no way Stef wouldn't see the mess. "But—I'm...not so heavy so I can do it faster," she blurted out without thinking.

Unable to stop herself, Stef guffawed at the comment. "One day we can put your theory to test, missy. But today is not that day." She shook her head when Callie began to insist again, clueless as to why the girl was so hung up on this. "No, sweetness," she said, firmer this time. "I appreciate it, I do. But it's not happening, Callie. What if you fell and got hurt?"

"I won't…" Callie mumbled, deflating. She would much rather climb up onto the roof than find out what Stef would do to her once she learned the truth about what she'd done. Plus, other foster parents had asked them to do way more so it was weird to her that Stef wasn't.

"Yeah…" Callie said, resigned to the fact she wouldn't be getting her way. Dread bubbled over how her foster mother would react to finding out about the wasted pills as Stef climbed up. She knew they'd cost a fair bit from the receipt left on the counter.

Not wanting to spend longer than she had to up there, Stef inspected the roof for any misplaced shingles and peered in the drains and gutters. As expected, there were leaves and debris that needed to be cleared but it wasn't bad. "How are you doing?" she called down, pulling a couple sticks out of a drain cover. When she and Lena had been going back and forth on whether to bid on the house, it'd been the big maple tree in the yard that'd won them over. The same one with the big leaves which routinely clogged up everything.

"Uhm...good!" Callie took a deep breath, waiting. Stef sounded cheerful enough but without seeing her face she couldn't be sure and that made her nervous. People often acted like everything was fine until they snapped. Miraculously, she hadn't experienced Stef or Lena's anger yet but she'd heard them tell their kids off pretty quick whenever they didn't listen or did something wrong. She got the impression they were the sort of people who didn't put up with a lot of BS.

Her luck was going to run out. Today.

"Almost done," Stef said, worried Callie might be getting cold. She had forgotten to remind her to throw on an extra layer and there was a chill in the air. "Glad you're giving me a hand, Cal!" She trailed off as her attention was caught by a sparkling patch a few feet away and directly under the window of the girls' room. Not understanding how Mariana's bead collection had spilled there, she squinted, trying to make out some detail.

It wasn't until a breeze brought in the stench of rancid fish that things clicked. What she'd initially thought were sequins were actually clear gel capsules. And the white oblong beads? Calcium. Scattered among those were the bright orange vitamin C tablets and beigey multivitamins. At least several weeks' worth.

"Oh, love…" she murmured to herself. Without a doubt, this was Callie's doing. Although all their kids took a daily multivitamin, only she and Jude had extras.

Realizing she would need to be careful if there was to be any hope of having a conversation about this, Stef dislodged another leaf. "There's an awful amount of vitamins up here," she stated matter of factly, trying not to gag from the smell.

On the ground, Callie clutched the sides of the ladder as she considered her options. She could own up to what she'd done before her foster mother called her on it. Or pretend she had no idea what Stef was referring to. Or make up a lie about how every single pill they'd given her had fallen out the window...over and over again. None were ideal.

"Do you know anything about how these got here?" Stef prompted when an answer didn't come.

"Uh, no," Callie replied automatically. Denial was easy when driven by fear.

"Hmm...you sure?" Stef asked, disappointed at the childish reflex to hide an obvious truth. Callie was thirteen; old enough to know better. She gave one last glance around before starting to climb down.

Callie remained rooted to the spot, unable to bring herself to say anything. She wished she could walk away but couldn't—not after she'd given her word she would help. Plus, doing so might really hurt the cop if she were to fall. Hating she was stuck and overcome with worry, the tears came easily.

"Thanks. I appreciate you spotting me," Stef said once both feet were back on level ground. Heart clenched at the worried eyes flicking up to meet hers. Callie believed she was in more trouble than she actually was—which was none at all. "Hey...why don't we go somewhere else?" she suggested, growing even more concerned at the sight of tears.

"You're going to be okay," she reassured as she ushered her foster daughter towards the back deck for privacy. Finding a spot on the steps, she sat down and patted beside her, inviting Callie to do the same. "We just need to talk."


End file.
